


A Place to Call Home

by Firekitten



Category: RWBY
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-26
Updated: 2018-01-26
Packaged: 2019-03-09 15:21:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13484316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Firekitten/pseuds/Firekitten
Summary: While kind of, maybe, dying from poisoning, Qrow decides to stumble into memory lane.





	A Place to Call Home

Waking up in pain wasn’t what Qrow believed anyone would call breaking new ground for himself.

Another jolt, like electricity lacing up his torso, had him clenching his jaw, rough coughs wracking him moments later.

Waking up in pain when **_not_** induced by a hangover however… well, the ground was noticeably cracked.

He hissed through his teeth as one of the kids, the armor-decked one who reminded him of Taiyang – probably because of all that dumb, blond hair – shifted him up from his very comfortable tree to lay him down on the not so comfortable ground. He slurred out a curse, though his tongue felt heavy, so he had doubt it had the full impact he wanted it too.

“Don’t worry Uncle Qrow, we’ll-” His niece’s voice dwindled into static.

Well.

That wasn’t normal.

He was pretty sure the sudden weightless, swinging sensation wasn’t entirely normal either, nor did he really approve of the nausea it induced along with it. Then again, it was more on par with what he was accustomed to dealing with and knew just the cure.

As he drifted off to sleep, the sound of the others’ voices and footsteps fading away, Qrow’s last thought was about how if he died, Tai was going to kill him.

* * *

He awoke with a start at the sound of a bang, already half way out of bed and blindly reaching for his sword before he realized three vital things: A. He was not outside, about to become Grimm chow; B. He was stark naked in a bedroom not his own; C. Certain intimate parts of him ached in places that told him his company had been anything but female.

“W…What?”

Tai’s head popped up from behind the other side of the bed, face twisting into an awkward smile as he waved to him. “Uh, Hey!”

Qrow stared at him for a very long moment, taking note that his teammate wasn’t wearing a shirt and had suspicion that the trend went lower and the awful conclusion hit him like a barreling boarbatusk. “Oh no.”

* * *

The mug of coffee was placed down in front of him. It had the words “world’s best uncle” painted on in messy scrawl, letters alternating between black and red, along with even less descriptive pictures of a stick-figure of him, Grimm, a scythe and whatever else her brain had deemed “Qrow-like” smattered across it. Ruby had presented her little masterpiece to him when she was six.

He sighed, running his finger along the handle where tiny, sideways crosses had been placed, before lifting it up to take a sip.

“Yang, Ruby,” Tai said as he started collecting empty plates, “Can you two do me a favor and play something quiet this morning?”

“Sure thing dad.” Yang chimed, finishing off her juice and handing over the empty cup.

“Aah, but I wanted to train today!” Ruby pouted, looking towards her uncle in as disgruntled a manner as possible.

Qrow rubbed the back of his neck, offering his niece a smile. “Maybe tomorrow kiddo. Not feeling up to it, yanno?”

“Come on Ruby, we can play Remnant. I’ll let you be Atlas and Vacuo this time.” Yang offered as she hopped down from her seat.

This quickly perked up the eight-year old as she hopped onto her sister’s back. “I’m gonna kick your butt!”

“You can try.” She replied as she carried her out of the kitchen.

“Play nice you two.” Tai called after them, getting a chorus of ‘we will!’ in return.

It wasn’t long before there was the sound of a door closing and all that was left was the ticking of the kitchen clock and the clanging of dishes being put in the sink, the water starting to run. Qrow laid his head on the tabletop, the cool surface doing wonders for the headache budding between his temples. Shutting his eyes, however, only seemed to invite flashes of memory from last night. Tipsy laughter and slurred stories, an arm around his shoulders, a sloppy kiss he didn’t mean to initiate, a pull into the bedroom, hot breath on his neck, strong hands lifting his hips.

In the present, goosebumps rose along his skin as vague recollections of Tai moaning his name in his ear danced along his brain.

A chair scrapping along wood broke him from his less-than-holy thoughts. “So,” Taiyang spoke up, sitting down across from him, “Now what?”

Qrow straightened up. “How much of last night do you remember?”

“I knew I was saying yes, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Well, good! Good…” He trailed off, unsure what to say next, and stalled by taking another swig of his coffee. It had gone lukewarm.

Tai was watching him with unnerving steadiness, but as the silence stretched, he sighed, rubbing a hand over his eyes. “We’re not going to get anywhere talking about it if one of us won’t talk.”

The chuckle that burst from him sounded a little hysterical. He really needed a drink. “What’s there to talk about?”

“Do you just want to forget it ever happened?”

“Don’t _you?_ ” Qrow snapped back, still not entirely certain he wasn’t about to be drop-kicked from here to Beacon. “You were the one trying to run this morning.”

“I panicked! I haven’t done this in a long time.”

“What, a one night stand?”

The red flush that spread along Tai’s face could have been mistaken for embarrassment, if not for the scowl. “Liking someone. Jackass.”

Oh.

Well, shit.

Qrow swallowed, something weird and warm slithering along his skin that wasn’t entirely unpleasant but absolutely unwelcome because Taiyang Xiao Long returning his feelings was the last thing he needed in life. Yet, like a fool asking for more punishment, he choked out, “Since… since when?”

The flush receded to that more embarrassment-like shade, his teammate looking away. “The day you rescued my daughters.”

He stared.

Then he slowly lifted his hand and slapped himself in the face.

Yep, still awake.

“Uh… Qrow?” Tai was looking at him with a mixture of concern and unease.

He shook his head. This was really happening. How was this happening? “Tai that was five fucking years ago.”

“You don’t say.” He deadpanned back. “And did you know the sky was blue too?”

Ignoring that, he pressed on, “Why didn’t you ever say anything?”

Tai rolled his eyes, his response sharp as a fist to the gut could ever be, “Because, if you haven’t noticed, I’ve had such a spectacular record with my love life. And considering you’ll probably never turn in your Huntsman license for good, I wasn’t really all gung-ho about setting myself up to lose another lover. Especially not one whose literally got the worst luck in the world.” He trailed off a moment, staring down at the tabletop, and when he spoke again, his voice was much more reserved, tinged in shame, “If I did, I knew I wouldn’t be strong enough to handle it this time. The girls can’t lose me too.”

Qrow knew all too well how bad things had been after Summer’s passing; he’d been the one to ask Oz for the long term, “only call if the world is going to implode” vacation, so he could focus instead on the small, fractured bits he had left to call his family. Helping to raise the two kids, getting a job at their school and a home nearby so he could be close but never too close; it was just all par for the course, natural steps he didn’t think much about because they seemed like the most obvious answers to the problems. Those first few months had been the worst though. Dragging Tai out of bed, throwing out (oh let’s be honest, confiscating) the alcohol in the house, the fights…

_“Just get out! Why are you even here?!”_

_“Because me and those girls of yours are all that’s left! Tai, wake up already! She’s not coming back.”_

_“Shut up!” A fist swung that was only barely avoided._

_“Tai!”_

He sighed, shaking off the awful memories. He drowned the rest of his drink, setting the mug aside. “So, what changed?”

“Nothing really. I kept hoping the feelings would go away in time, but they never did. If anything, they got worse. So then, I just tried to ignore them. I wasn’t ready. I was never sure I’d ever be ready. But last night, when you kissed me… I guess I was just feeling weak.” Taiyang met his gaze and he felt pinned by it. “It was wonderful. _You_ were.”

Shivers trickled along his spine and he lent forward, smirking brazenly. “Yeah? Can’t say you did too badly yourself, even with your ‘little dragon’.”

“You jackass!” He swiped at him across the table, missed, and hit the salt shaker instead. Salt spilled across the table.

“Well, that was bad luck.” Qrow said, grin furthering.

“You’re bad luck!” Tai refuted, laughing.

In the lull that followed, the tension that had gripped onto them finally loosening, Tai gathered their empty cups and set them in the sink rinsing them quickly. As he set them in the drainer, he tossed a curveball over his shoulder, “I haven’t missed the fact you haven’t talked about your side of things yet, Qrow.”

He was kind of hoping he would have.

“Alright, alright. But before I do, I got one more question. How long have you been swinging between the kingdoms?”

Tai was eyeing him, probably internally debating whether he wanted to humor him or not, before asking, “Remember Edgar Clyne?”

“Edgar… wait.” A faint picture came to mind: broad-shouldered, dyed blue hair, chainsaw sword. “From team TEEL? You gotta be kidding me.”

There was a hum of acknowledgment, Tai leaning back against the counter. “You probably don’t remember but it was when we were out at the quad, studying for our midterms. He came over and asked to talk to me. I told you guys he just had a question about aura disabling for the test but, he’d actually confessed to me.”

“You never told me about that.”

“Yeah, he wasn’t ready for anyone to know, and I wanted to respect his privacy.” He rolled his shoulders in a sort of half shrug. “Didn’t last long anyways. Three months or so. Shortly after, I started to really notice Raven and everything else kind of stopped mattering.”

Qrow held back a laugh, remembering those days of overly lovesick displays all too well. Especially the time a heart-shaped box of chocolates smacked him in the head when his sister decided to chuck it through one of her portals. He and Summer had split it, taking bets on whether Tai would win her over or Raven would skewer him first.

Summer had won and he still hasn’t drunken away the shame of singing “Let’s Just Live” at the Vytal Festival dance.

“You’re still stalling.”

“Yeeep.” He drew out the word, just to irritate the other.

“I don’t know why I figured you’d take this seriously.” Despite the lightheartedness of the quip, the smile on Tai’s face was strained. “You know if it was just a one night stand for you, you can just say so.”

He winced internally. Whoops. He had a bad habit of pushing the other too far sometimes.

Had it been anyone else, Qrow would have clung to the easy out in a wingbeat. But he’d seen his friend get hurt one too many times already and there was no way he was adding to it. “I’d never do that to you Tai.” Letting out a sigh, he got to his feet, crossing over to stand before the other. “I ain’t gonna say how long, it’d be too hard a blow on my pride. But it’s been awhile.”

“Longer than me?”

“Not answering that!” Tai looked away, trying to hide a smile behind his hand. Damn it. “But, being with me isn’t easy you know. It’s probably stupid, actually. ‘Worst luck in the world’, remember?”

The blonde arched an eyebrow at him. “Wow, I can see why you’ve been in so many long-term relationships.”

“Hey!”

“Qrow,” Tai’s tone had turned serious. “If had known things would end the way they did with Raven and Summer, I still wouldn’t have done a single thing different. The only way I could make peace with what happened was to realize that even if it was short, they both gave me an experience. They shaped core parts of my life in ways I never could have found on my own. Even though they’re gone, I don’t regret a thing.” He pushed off from the counter, stepping closer. “And yeah, I’m feeling scared and insecure; they’re problems of mine I just decided never to deal with, because I never thought I’d have to. But now I know I might have to, because last night happened and I realize, I wouldn’t take that back either. If last night is all that we’ll have, that’s fine.”

He felt an all too familiar shiver work its way up his body as a warm hand rested along his arm and he was struck by just how vastly blue Tai’s eyes were. “But I want you to know, if you want it too, that whatever this is, we can make it into more. And that doesn’t mean anything has to really change, either. You can still swing by as much as you feel comfortable with. I’m not asking you to move in – though you’re always welcome to. Guest room was always for you, anyways. But whatever choice you do make, try not to let it be the choice that prevents you from living.” He gave his arm a little squeeze, “Just think about it, alright?” He moved back, giving him space. “I’m gonna go check on the girls.”

As the other started to walk away, almost beyond conscious thought, Qrow’s hand snapped out, catching Tai’s wrist. “Wait.”

“Yeah?” He looked back at him, curious.

“I can still drink right?”

“ _That’s_ what you’re concerned about?”

“It’s an important question!”

Tai snorted, shaking his head in exasperation, turning to face him. “Yes Qrow. You can still drink.”

“And,” He inched forward. “We’re not going to suddenly take long walks on the beach, holding hands?”

Despite what he was saying, his fingers were slipping between Tai’s. He felt the other squeeze. “You know I hate getting sand in my boots.”

“And if I go on missions…?”

A tug brought him close. Very close. “I’ll be here to welcome you when you get back.”

Qrow took in a shaky breath. “Yeah. Alright. I can do that.” A pause then, “So, you gonna kiss me or what?”

Tai chuckled. “Yeah, I am.”

And he did.

* * *

He awoke, again, several years older, his side a numb, throbbing ache and his niece tearing up as she hovered around him.

“Hey kiddo come on, no waterworks. Tai’ll turn me into a pretzel.” He joked.

That got her to chuckle at least. “I’m just glad you’re alright.” She helped him sit up, fluffing pillows behind him for support. “Are you in a lot of pain? Can I get you anything?”

“Heh, nah I’m doing alright for now.” He pulled some at his shirt, seeing fresh bandages. “So, we’re in Mistral?”

Ruby nodded hopping onto the edge of the bed. “Yeah, they came just in time. Got you help. I dunno what would have happened if they hadn’t shown up. Don’t you remember?”

“Ehh… A lot of its blurry now. Mostly remember dreaming.”

“Oh? About what?”

“The past.” Qrow tilted his head towards her, seeing her expression twisted with a bit of worry. He had to wonder if he had said anything during his venom-induced haze. “Don’t worry, it was the good stuff.” He sighed out, eyes sliding shut as weariness pulled at him. It was going to be awhile yet before he was feeling back to normal. “Well, we’ve made it this far. Once we’ve all rested up, then I can introduce you kids to the headmaster here and we’ll all figure out what we’re doing next.”

The weight of the bed shifted as Ruby stood up. “Okay. Well I was just finishing up a letter to Yang and then I’m gonna write one to dad. Did you want to tell them anything?” When he shot her a panicked look she quickly added, “Don’t worry, I’m not telling either of them about what happened.”

“What? I-” He cleared his throat, looking away. “I wasn’t worried.” He could practically feel the teasing grin his niece was wearing. Quickly, before she could change her mind, he said, “Tell Firecracker that I hope to see her on the field again soon. And, if she decides she doesn’t wanna do that, to at least not take up gardening. As for Tai…” He looked towards the window, the miles of land between here and Patch seeming vast and incalculable.

But if he crossed it once, he could cross it again.

“Tell him, once this all blows over, I’ll be coming home.”

**Author's Note:**

> So, I got inspired to write this when I was rewatching scenes from volume 4 and realized Qrow was talking to Tai when he started to succumb to poison. I had written the first scene awhile ago and then just… got stuck.
> 
> Originally, the plan for this story was meant to be more dramatic. I was trying to storyboard scenes and make them more like what someone would be going through when having feverish dreams and hallucinations. It was going to probably be a chaotic and painful mess. Yet I never took it anywhere.
> 
> But, when I started to fall for Tai/Qrow, I came back to this, got really tied into this scene and decided to just go a more romantic route rather than my original plan, because overall I was having more fun with it, even if it makes less sense. 
> 
> Qrow himself was really hard to write, especially since he’s so out of his element for the majority of the story. Tai wasn’t any easier, honestly. I’m also not a big fan of “let’s get drunk and have sex” stories, but well, Qrow makes this a little hard NOT to have it happen like this. Damn drunk.
> 
> Overall though, I had a lot of fun and I hope for those few – very few – Taiqrow fans out there, that this addition to our tiny family of fanfics makes you all smile!


End file.
